Post-game quotesheet: D.C. United 3 - Houston Dynamo 4

D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH TOM SOEHN
On the game
“We had a pretty good stretch in the first half. We applied pressure, and then in a three-minute stretch, we got away from doing things as far as closing service. When Brian Ching came through, we didn’t step up. That three-minute span cost us a lot. Then you have to fight back and come back from three goals. It’s not easy to do.

On the second half
“I thought we didn’t do a good job with tracking the wide guys in the first half. We made sure we understood this, and this took away from their game.”

D.C. UNITED GOALKEEPER JOSH WICKS
On coming out for the second half
“I never count us out. All year long, we’ve been able to fight back. When we got that first goal early in the second half, I kept it in my head that we have scored a lot of goals in the second half this year. I really had my heart set on getting at least a point out of this game.”

D.C UNITED DEFENDER BRYAN NAMOFF
On the second half
“We started to have a little more possession. With the tactical change, we started to put some pressure on them. There are positives to build upon with this type of formation. We have to look over tape and look at the positives and also try to find out what went wrong in that three-minute span where we gave up the three goals.”

HOUSTON DYNAMO COACH DOMINIC KINNEAR
On the game
“I’m very happy with the win. We played some great attacking soccer. Still in the second half, with the lead we were attacking well, but I think we were a little loose defending, and therefore they crept back in the game, and it shouldn’t have happened that way. You give them credit because they have good attacking players, but I think we were losing our concentration at times, and therefore they took advantage of their chances.”

On fatigue in second half
“I think everyone was fatigued in the second half. It was a hot night. You think when the sun goes down it might cool off a little bit, but funny how it just kind of increases the temperature. It’s almost better when the sun’s out.”

On D.C.’s chances in the second half
“We had a lot of chances still, but they took advantage of the chances that they created, that were given to them. [Luciano] Emilio comes to the field, gives them a spark, and Fred has a great shot. Give credit where credit is due, but I still think we were the better team tonight.”

HOUSTON DYNAMO MIDFIELDER STUART HOLDEN
On his penalty kick
“They asked me if I wanted to take it, and I said absolutely. I don’t shy away from those opportunities, especially an opportunity to get on the scoreboard and help the team win.

On the team’s fatigue
“It was not just the defense; I think everybody was a little fatigued, a little sloppy, a little careless. That’s not characteristic of this team. We’re usually solid and finish these games out 4-1, 4-0. So we’re disappointed on that end not to have kept a clean sheet. But at the end of the day, we won 4-3, and that’s three points.”

On returning from national team duty
“It was great to be back and to sleep in my bed after being on the road for a month. You hate watching the [Dynamo’s] games; it’s so frustrating watching the games. Brian [Ching] and I were sitting there watching them on TV, and we’d get so emotional, so fired up. We want to be here, we want to be part of the team, so we couldn’t be happier to be back here and helping the team win.”

HOUSTON DYNAMO DEFENDER MIKE CHABALA
On team chemistry
“It’s nice to have Brian [Ching] and Stuart [Holden] back, and try to push through these last 10 games, and start to get our momentum back with us being back at home. I can’t tell you how tough it is being on the road that four weeks in a row for Open Cup games. It’s good to finally be back home with the fans.”

On his game
“Personally, I feel very confident. The minutes help. I can’t express that enough. I’ve had a lot of support from the coaching staff and support as well from the guys. Nothing’s changed since the day I got here four years ago ... When I get my opportunity, I just want to make sure I take advantage of it like I’m doing.”

On the second half
“It was just a little sloppy. They moved guys forward, and we knew that was going to happen. Dom said at halftime, ‘You just can’t sleep, you’ve got to make sure we’re defensively sound, because they’ve got the key guys that can put the ball in the back of the net, and that’s what happened. But at the end we still won.”

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